Perry urges punishment for Americans protesting Israel in flotilla

Presidentially, Perry urges U.S. to halt Gaza flotillaUrging punishment for American participants, potential 2012 hopeful weighs in on support for Israel

PEGGY FIKAC, Austin Bureau

Published 5:30 am, Wednesday, June 29, 2011

AUSTIN — Gov. Rick Perry, highlighting his affinity for Israeli causes as he contemplates a presidential run, has urged U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to aggressively work against a planned pro-Palestinian flotilla aimed at Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip.

"As an American citizen and governor of one of its largest states, I write to applaud your recent efforts to warn and discourage those who have supported or plan to support a flotilla intended to interfere with Israel's maritime blockade of the Gaza Strip," Perry wrote in a June 28 letter released on Wednesday.

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"More importantly, I write to encourage you to aggressively pursue all available legal remedies to enjoin and prevent these illegal actions, and to prosecute any who may elect to engage in them in spite of your preemptive efforts," Perry wrote.

Perry asked that the Justice Department "take immediate steps" against those found to be violating U.S. law, including bans on participating in a naval expedition against people with whom the United States is at peace and providing "material support or resources to a foreign terrorist organization."

Perry long has shown an interest in Israel, but the letter sparked fresh attention in light of his possible White House aspirations.

"Fundamentalist Christians have Israel as one of their central concepts, so anything that a presidential candidate could do to identify with Israel would pay dividends with the fundamentalists who comprise 60 percent of the Iowa caucus," said Larry Sabato, director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia.

Support for Israel

In his letter, Perry noted media reports of American citizens and organizations working with others to organize the breach of Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip, which is controlled by Palestinian militant group Hamas.

He said the reports - along with information from a lawsuit and from Shurat HaDin, which describes itself as an Israeli-based civil rights organization - indicate that at least two participating ships are registered in Delaware, and that U.S. organizations have raised or channeled money for the effort using U.S.-based Web sites.

A 2010 flotilla was intercepted by Israel, resulting in nine deaths.

Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, Shurat HaDin director, said by email that her group requested Perry's assistance. A New York Times story from Athens on Wednesday cited the group's work against the planned flotilla.

"We knew of his strong support for the State of Israel and his powerful opposition to terrorism and believed that if he was provided the details of all this criminal activity being perpetrated against the citizens of Israel in the United States by Hamas supporters, he would be moved to take action against it," Darshan-Leitner said in the email.

Those promoting the flotilla have said they only intend to assist the "civil population" in Gaza, according to the New York Times story.

Perry has more than once visited Israel and has touted what he calls its "special kinship" with Texas.

Sincere? Political?

State Sen. Florence Shapiro, R-Plano, said she and Perry have had many conversations about Israel and that she's convinced of Perry's "commitment and his deep passion for the Israeli people, and for the country itself."

"I really do think this is sincere," she said. "Is it political? Probably. Is it sincere? Absolutely."